Aston Villa are launching a £5 million bid for Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey.

The Frenchman suggested he would be willing to leave in order to freshen his career after four years at the club, and now it seems Villa may have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals, says the Mirror.

Arsenal and Manchester United have both been attributed with interest in the experienced, and highly rated stopper, but reports coming out of Italy suggest that Martin O'Neil has made the first move.

With Brad Friedel not getting any younger, the Villans boss may see 31-year-old Frey as the ideal replacement for the American keeper, who himself was only brought to the west Midlands at 36 years of age.